Behind the $1.5 billion fight for the Timberwolves

Plus: Giddyup, we're going to the pizza ranch [Plus: Giddyup, we're going to the pizza ranch] View this email as a [web page]( [Star Tribune]( [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA [Essential Minnesota logo] ESSENTIAL MINNESOTA Good morning, Minnesota! We've included some nice long reads in this edition since we're off on Monday. Catch you back here Tuesday 👋🏽 Now, on to the news 📢 [Eder Campuzano] By Eder Campuzano TODAY’S TOP STORIES - [Women in abusive relationships are frequent firearm buyers for those barred from owning them]( - [Major zoning bill failed, but legislators see other small gains on housing]( - [Fighter plane flown by WWII ace Richard I. Bong found in New Guinea]( - [Minneapolis wonders: Was rideshare deal worth the trouble?]( - [A leader to follow: Gophers QB Max Brosmer takes teammates down South for training, bonding]( How a $1.5 billion deal for the Timberwolves and Lynx fell apart amid a historic year for both teams Alex Kormann/Star Tribune This morning's Timberwolves feature isn't about the action on the court. It's about the action team owner Glen Taylor has so far avoided in the courtroom. Full disclosure: Taylor also owns the Star Tribune. We previously covered how Taylor, 83, was in talks to sell the Timberwolves and the Lynx to former New York Yankees MVP Alex Rodriguez and and billionaire tech entrepreneur Marc Lore for $1.5 billion. [image] Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune Ownership transfers like this are typically done in one, maybe two transactions, experts say. Rodriguez and Lore were looking to pay Taylor in installments, an unusual arrangement. The deal fell apart and the two parties will eventually meet at an undisclosed office in Minneapolis for forced arbitration. How did we get here? And what does it mean for a Wolves team on the cusp of a historic postseason run? Business reporter Nick Williams has the story [here.]( More Wolves coverage: - [Huge Friday: Can PWHL Minnesota take control and can Timberwolves get even? (Podcast)]( - ['Go Wolves!' street painting pops up overnight on downtown Minneapolis' 1st Avenue]( - [Behind the Wolves defense: 'Divorced parents trying to co-parent'](     Get in, loser, we're going to the pizza farm When I moved here, my wife told me about these wonderful places called pizza farms, and my mind immediately wandered to thoughts of verdant fields where overall-clad Minnesotans plucked fresh pies out of the ground. That wasn't quite right — they're actually bucolic locales where you can order a pizza and have a picnic. Features reporter Sharyn Jackson has rounded up nine of the best pizza farms in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Check out the story [here.]( Mark Hvidsten/Star Tribune long reads for the long weekend - [A ranking of the NBA's 25 most promising players under 25. Check out how high Anthony Edwards made it]( - The Ringer - [An ambitious experiment in Minneapolis is changing the way librarians work with homeless patrons and challenging how we use public space]( - The New Yorker - [How Ebon Moss-Bachrach gave "The Bear" some teeth]( - GQ - [How big is Taylor Swift? As big as the Beatles? Michael Jackson? Beyoncé?]( - The New York Times - [Massive invasive snakes are on the loose and spreading in Puerto Rico]( - Vox Manny's Steakhouse via Instagram Chuck Watch 2024 When [Charles Barkley recently asked Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards]( for a list of restaurant recommendations while in town for the Western Conference finals, it sparked a big debate on social media about where he should go. Since then, Barkley has popped up in various local online posts and photos, with people jazzed to see the former NBA star out and about in the Twin Cities. Reporter Louis Krauss caught up with Barkley on Thursday night and asked him for a review of his experiences here so far. [Here's what he had to say.]( curious minnesota Andrew Scrivani/New York Times This week's edition of the Star Tribune's reader-powered reporting project seeks to answer the question: "Was the Bundt cake really invented in Minnesota?" The short answer is "yes." The long answer includes European origins, the story of a couple of kitchenware entrepreneurs tinkering around in a basement and a recipe that involves a "tunnel of fudge." Taste editor Nicole Hvidsten has all of the fluffy, flavorful details. [Read it here.]( [Correction: Yesterday's edition of Essential Minnesota incorrectly stated how Xcel's insurance payouts work. The company is in danger of running up against the $500 million limit on its policy.]     the minnesota goodbye Three cheers for accessibility in nature! One of the things that made for a seamless Oregonian-to-Minnesotan transition was how essential the outdoors are to our collective identities. That's why I was enthralled by this post promoting the Minnesota Department of Natural Resource's all-terrain track chair program. All you need to rent one of these bad boys is a state park vehicle permit. You can find the full list of participating parks at [this link](. Apparently you can also rent an adaptive beach chair that can roll right into the water at McCarthy Beach State Park. Thanks for reading Eder Campuzano, reporter David Taintor, editor [Email]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Manage email preferences]( • [Subscribe to Star Tribune]( • [Privacy Policy]([Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Manage]( your preferences | [Opt Out]( using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? [Sign up]( to receive our future emails. View this email [online](. 650 3rd Ave. S. Suite 1300 | Minneapolis, MN 55488 US This email was sent to {EMAIL}. To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.